Lg Dishwasher Model# Lds5188 / defective product

We purchased a LG Dishwasher Model # LDS5811BB from Home Depot in Jan of 2007 as part of a package of appliances (all LG god help us) including washer (of moldy/musty stink repute), dryer (least problems of all, only two service calls) refrige (the defective french door model with false energy star rating) and last but not least the famous defctive dishwasher (so many service calls @ 10-12 it is literally worn out from being repaired).
The dishwashers motor failed in the first 3 months of use and was replaced by LG under waranty (LG now denys ever making the repair as it would help establish my case for wanting the unit replaced as defective and possibly dangerous.) The subsequent repairs ranged from; error codes, failure to operate cycles, a failed fill valve, failure to drain issues leaving the dishwasher full of water or in some cases a foul smelling slime in the bottom of the sump area, failure to properly clean the dishes after fully running through the cycle, the build up of a white mineral like accumulation on the glasses in the last few months (even when liquid dish washer detergent and rinse agent is used, to the most recent and frightening to issues involving a burnt wiring smells and the shorting out of a wire in the door area and subseqently the actual meltdown of one of the control modules and the wiring harness. This last event resulted in the unit smelling like it was actually on fire @ 1 am at which time I received an electrical shock when I opened the door to see if something was actually burning and touched the stainless steel interior . I immediatly went to the breaker panel and threw the dedicated dishwasher breaker (which was still not tripped) and removed the metal door front panel and the plastic control panel at the top of the door to be sure nothing was still on fire. When I removed the metal panel you could smell the burning wires and electronics, when I took off the plastic door front you could see where the left most module had melted along and the wires from the harness going to the module had actually burnt off completely and arced to the metal door which gave me the shock.
My story is a little different than most because by some miracle/stroke of luck I bought a Home Depot extended waranty when purchasing the appliances (the first and only extended waranty in my life & I'm 48). At this point the waranty company is once again repairing the diswasher at their expense but we are no longer willing to have it in the house because it is defective and a fire hazzard. I have repeatedly contacted LGs "customer service" boiler room and burnt up hours of their time & mine but they will do absolutely nothing because I have an extended service contract, their lower level managers actually expressed a willingness to replace the unit, which the supervisor immediatly downgraded to "pro-rating" due to age (a three year olf LG appliance is apparantly the equivalent of an antique), which the head of customer service then downgraded to "we might do something if you can have the extended service contract administrator call us and document/prove everything you said went wrong actually did" this was apparently done because they had no record of LG replacing the defective motor under the 1 year waranty, so ... I must be lying... they claim the motor was never replaced but will not specifically say I am lying. I am particularly frustrated because the diswasher will be completely rebuilt and my wife and I can't keep it in the house (esp with 4 kids) and I can't in good concience sell it (I do occasional kitchen renovations and have sold and or donated numerous good working appliances in the past but never thought one might burn down someone's house. So I guess we will be out of pocket $500 -700 for a new dishwasher plus the loss of a still good extended service contract through 2012 due to LG absolute disregard for customer safety muchless corporate responsibility or goodwill.

I end this particular entry with the promise that like everyone else here that my wife and I will never purchase or reccomend any LG product and that we will also will go out of our way to inform everyone we come in contact with what a horrible company LG is and what junk LG products are. I am a small contractor specializing in home inspection, property maintenance and renovations, my wife is a interior designer specializing in mid to high end kitchen and bath design, an yes we are kicking ourselves for buying LG we probably should have known better but, there is some satisfaction in knowing we will tell hundreds of people directly about LG . I hope that you all stick to you guns and don't give up on a class action suit ( I hate law suits nor am I fond of lawyers) but it may be the only way to get any satisfaction from LG.

PS We have also logged a complaint with the FTC and BBB for what ever good it may do. We will also review LG on Home Depot and Lowes web sites and recommend everyone review the products badly on every site you can find that sells LG... Amazon, Lowes, Home Depot, Appliance stores etc. people do read these befor buying and it hurts LG in their pocket!!!

Comments

There are many thousands of us with a nearly identical story - including us, and we just bought our all LG kitchen (god help us too) a little over a year go. WHERE THE HELL ARE THE CLASS ACTIONS AGAINST THIS COMPANY!!! Are they being protected because they are a Korean firm and Korea is a strategic national security partner for that corner of the world or what? The internet is littered with irate people like us (we are at 6 weeks and counting - doing dishes by hand, with at least another 2 weeks left before the repair on our steam dishwasher is complete, after all three circuit boards went out 14 months after purchase!). I keep scouring the web looking for a lawsuit, as I sit on hold or talk to LG people who are powerless to do anything it seems - I've had two of their customer service people and one of their company repair techs tell me to buy something else and that this company is a nightmare to deal with for both consumers and repair techs... If there is an attorney out there willing to take up the cause I will pay for the website setup and metadata work to attract the owners that are waiting for an LG Dishwasher class action!

Same story here. Not sure what model dishwasher but ours started leaking from the bottom of the door. Many service calls and battles with LG service (Horrible Horrible service). Out service guy finally said he could not repair the unit. I finally figured out that you needed to tell LG that the unite was unrepairable, then they replaced the dishwasher. They would not do a thing until you said the words unrepairable. So they gave us a new washer. OK for a while then the same leak came back. They then changed The motor and door. Still leaked, changed just the motor. Still leaked. SO, WE THREW OUT THE LG WASHER. DID NOT EVEN TRY TO SELL IT (THAT WOULD NOT BE RIGHT). Bought a Bosch dishwasher. The LG never cleaned well. The Bosch cleans great! We even put a casserole dish in with baked on cheese and whatnot. It came out spotless. LG products stink in my opinion. Went through similar thing with a re-fridge. They ended up replacing it and it has been OK. Although today a door shelf brOKe off and it is costing $50 to replace. It is very flimsy and poorly constructed. LG IS OUT!